White dwarfs are the smoldering remains of stars like the Sun. Right now, the nuclear fusion of hydrogen in the Sun’s core produces energy that pushes back against gravity and keeps the Sun from falling in on itself. Eventually, though, the Sun will run …
ESA and NASA will team up for the next Mars rover. The Rosalind Franklin rover is set to be Europe’s first on Mars, but it has been stalled ever since a collaboration with Russia fell apart following the invasion of Ukraine. Now, NASA has agreed to pick up …
Could quasi-moons or mini-moons hit Earth? Scientists used to think certain quasi-moons had a significant chance of impacting Earth, but thankfully, that’s no longer the case. Since Earth’s current quasi-moons are around 10–300 meters (30–1000 feet) in …
The Planetary Society is advocating hard for space. This week on Planetary Radio, hear stories from this year's Day of Action, in which nearly 100 advocates from across the United States came to Washington, D.C., to speak with their members of Congress …
Key principles of the Outer Space Treaty The Outer Space Treaty includes several important principles that guide space exploration and use to this day. According to the U.N. Office of Outer Space Affairs, the treaty’s key principles are: That the …
NASA is pursuing six new, far-out concepts. The agency’s Innovative Advanced Concepts program (NIAC) has selected six concept studies for additional funding and development. These visionary projects aim to revolutionize aspects of space exploration and …
HWO will examine the atmospheres of at least 25 potentially habitable worlds, searching for biosignatures that could indicate the presence of life. The detection of biosignatures requires context, so that we can avoid being fooled by non-life processes. …
A Japanese spacecraft is advancing orbital debris cleanup. The main objective of the Japanese company Astroscale’s ADRAS-J (short for "Active Debris Removal by Astroscale-Japan") mission is to rendezvous with and study a large piece of orbital …
Three thousand years ago, the Babylonians observed that from Earth’s perspective, the Sun appears to move through 12 of the charted constellations over the course of a year. This led to the development of the signs of the zodiac, a foundational part of …
This funding level requested in the bipartisan letter will allow the NASA Science Mission Directorate to support its program of existing and next-generation space missions. By funding NASA SMD at $9 billion, Congress will enable: Increased support for …
The mission The Chang’e-6 spacecraft consists of four separate components: an orbiter, lander, ascender, and reentry module. After launch, Chang’e-6 will travel to the Moon and enter lunar orbit. The spacecraft’s lander and ascender will travel to the …
Lava on Io is among the hottest things in the Solar System. Volcanoes like the one pictured above in Io’s Tvashtar Catena region spew lava onto the moon’s surface that reaches searing temperatures. This earns Io a spot among the hottest places in the Solar …
Ice giants likely have cores of rock and metal similar to those of the gas giants. Beyond that lie oceans of water, ammonia, and methane, squeezed by intense pressures into semi-solid states. Electric currents flowing through their icy-hot oceans may be …
These searing temperatures are caused by Venus’ thick atmosphere, which is composed mainly of carbon dioxide. As we know from its role in climate change on Earth, carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas. When the Sun’s light heats Venus, the heat can’t …
The key to Pluto’s heart may also dash hopes of a subsurface ocean. The giant heart-shaped feature on Pluto’s surface has been a mystery since it was first observed by NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft in 2015. But an international team of astrophysicists has …
The festival was a place to learn and connect with like-minded people, “to be part of something much, much bigger,” said Adam Romero, an attendee from Folsom, California. “As soon as we noticed The Planetary Society was doing something like this,” he added …
Although governments around the world understand the value of basic science, it can be hard to prioritize its funding given the variety of competing needs within a nation. NASA’s space science programs in 2024 amount to roughly 0.1% of annual U.S. spending …
Eclipse-O-Rama 2024 brought hundreds together for the eclipse. Members from around the world came to Fredericksburg, Texas, to witness totality at The Planetary Society’s eclipse festival. But the eclipse was only part of the experience. Science talks, …
Eclipses are more accessible than you might think. New technologies, projects, and resources aim to make this year’s eclipse more inclusive, helping as many people as possible experience this extraordinary cosmic event. Learn more about how people with …
After the formalization of an agreement between Croatia and ESA, the agency established formal ties to all EU Member States that were not already ESA members. The EU Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA) is the EU’s counterpart to ESA, and the two groups …
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